Alone Together Alone

Everything came back to me.

Flashes from the moment I met her until the moment I left her in death and got a new life. This Life.

When my eyes slid open to meet hers again and cupped her face.

“My God, Erin.” I said as tears began to fill my eyes. “I remember.”

I laid another soft kiss on her lips than looked at Maddie connecting the dots and the tears flowed harder.

“My daughter.” I spoke in total awe softly now watching her with a new appreciation.

I had to look back at Erin and moved closer and put my hands on her face, making sure this was all real.

I put my forehead to hers and kept my hands on her cheeks to keep the fact that she was real still in the front of my mind.

“How are you out in the sun? You’re still a vampire.” I asked as soon as I could form words again.

She smiled. “Some of the greater powers that be gave me that gift when I had Maddie. She’s human, I couldn’t have kept up with her if I couldn’t be in the sunlight.” She spoke honestly as a few stray blood tears rolled down her cheeks.

She was thrilled to have me back too.

“I thought I wasn’t going to get you back.” She spoke adverting her eyes with lip quivering. “I thought Maddie was all I was ever going to have of you again. Then I turned on the television and low and behold there you are. I was walking through the CD department and boom there you are again. I thought that would be enough. I thought it was all. I don’t know what I did to deserve to get you back.” More blood tears slid passed her lids.

I pulled her face up so she’d be looking me in the eyes. “I wanted you back. Everything in life paled in comparison to you.” I wiped away the tears staining my thumbs with her blood.

She noticed and pulled away wiping at her own face now. “I’m so sorry. I’m bleeding all over you.” She laughed though her teary voice.

I smiled. “Wouldn’t be the first time babe.”

She threw me a playful glare before wiping her hands on her black shirt and got up and went and picked up Maddie. She carried her back to me and sat her between us.

“Maddie, this is Pete. You’re daddy.” She prompted. “Can you say dada?”

She wasn’t kidding when she said Maddie had mellowed her. She taught the little girl to talk, to walk, to do everything and she couldn’t even help Patrick for five minutes before.

Madeline’s sweet little face looked up to me and her mouth opened and she spoke the word almost flawlessly with smile. “Dada.”

I picked her up and sat her on my lap and hugged her to my chest kissing the top of her head.

“The guys have to meet you guys.” I said excitedly as I began hopping up with Maddie still in my arms.

Erin caught my hand, face grim as she remained sitting. “Pete they probably won’t remember us either.”

“They have to.” I said desperately.

Her eyes held some sort of compassion for me that they had never achieved when we were together before.

She was up within the blink of an eye and took Maddie from my arms before looking at me smiling. “Your arms will get tired.” She teased.

I smiled. ‘Same old Erin.’

I gathered the toys and put them back in the bag before we head back to her house.

I called the guys on the walk and told them to meet me back at my house and if they beat me there to use the spare key to get in.

When we arrived at her house we just tossed the bag inside before I persuaded her to get in the car.

She rode the whole way with Maddie in her lap and the seat belt over the both of them with her leg firmly pressed to the dash. No way that airbag would touch either of them if there was an accident.

The guys were already there when we pulled up.

We walked in as casually as we could.

As soon as they laid eyes on her they all freaked out.

“Erin.” Echoed all ’round the room.

She smiled and handed Maddie to me. “In the flesh.” She said extending her arms out as if waiting for a hug.

Patrick was the first to hop up and accept, followed by Joe, and finally Andy without hesitation.

“How do you all remember me?” She asked overjoyed, she got some of her only friends back.

“The dreams.” Joe responded almost as excite as her. “I have to thank you for introducing me to Alessa. We’re married now and she’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met and somehow it’s all thanks to you.” Then he pulled her in for another hug.

After Joe released her Andy looked at her and decided to throw in his two cents. “I think we’re going to finally get to try out this friendship thing huh?”

She smiled a now teary smile. “Yeah we are.”

Then Patrick’s attention turned to the little girl in my arms. “This is Pete’s baby isn’t it?” He said in total shock.

“Yeah.” She said turning to look at Maddie in my arms. “Her name’s Madeline.”

They guys gathered closer.

“How old is she, now?” Andy asked as he smiled at her.

“Thirteen months.” She said smiling at the little girl too. She had so much pride in our daughter. Hell I just found out she’s mine and I have the same pride in her.

“My son’s only a few months older then her.” Joe stated.

“They could be playmates.” She turned her smile to him.

“They could grow up together and get married one day.” He joked back.

Erin looked over to me. “Could you imagine being in-laws with this asshole.” She said with her good old sarcastic smile.

I could tell by the way she said asshole it was the first cuss word she’d dropped in a long time. All of her time was devoted to Maddie after we were gone and she used to have quite a mouth if I remember this right. I think she missed it.

Patrick reached out and took Maddie from her arms. “The fact you and Petey the Potty Mouth is still scary. You’re not supposed to talk like that in front of your kids.”

“Once in thirteen months sue me.” She replied easily.

I loved just sitting back watching this. It had been too long.

I felt something then.

It was that void I’d once had, I was feeling the new absence of it.

This is what I needed.

My real family.

...

Speaking of family, How do I break this to my parents?